Canada has always been known for producing sporadic punk rock greats (Grade, Cancer Bats, Propagandhi) and has become something of a hot bed in recent years for raw talented punk rockers (Pkew x3 and PUP being the obvious big names), it’s nice then to add another name to this ever growing list – Screaming at Traffic. Albeit courtesy of the UK based Little Rocket Records and, let’s face it, their roster is getting insanely good too!
I Don’t Like Sports is the debut album from the Winnipeg based foursome and, in keeping with the sounds of latter day Canadian punk rock, it’s firmly in the anthemic, fist in the air, heart on sleeve bracket... and not just that – they are damn good at doing it.
Kicking off with “They Call Me Thrillhouse”, with its spoken word verses and electrifying chorus, you instantly know that this is something special. It’s a song about angst, introversion and isolation and these themes run throughout the whole album. The fact that the verse is spoken adds to the “personal” feeling of the song. This is the inner workings of vocalist Jacques Richer’s psyche laid bare. Poignant, sombre yet defiant, it’s everything you need to get acquainted with the band. It’s about questioning living up to people’s expectations, not wanting to grow up and take responsibility. Coupled with a chorus that will lodge itself in your head, this is a true statement of intent!
As if to prove they aren’t a one trick pony, second track “FYB” ratchets it up a gear. Much faster and raw, it’s a perfect continuation of the themes laid out in its predecessor. Again it’s just instantly catchy, melodic and fun despite the dark lyrics. The guitar work in the middle third helps change the pace and it has the kind of climax that is yearning to be sung ferociously back to the band in dive bars across the globe. As a 1–2 opening double, I doubt you’ll hear much better this year.
One of the lead songs off the album “Pantomime” comes next and it’s a straight up pop punk banger with some great little guitar licks and another big chorus. It’s followed by the title track “I Don’t Like Sports”. Despite the amusing title and Aquabats-esque chorus, which on face value could be almost a pastiche, it’s a really dark song of lost love. I read an interview with Pkew x3 vocalist Mike Warne where he basically said for every two stupid lines you write the third had to be profound and vice-versa. That is exactly the approach here and it’s such a glorious, amusing, heartbreaking song as a result. It’s also an approach that works brilliantly on “Weekend Cartoons”; a song that somehow manages to transport you back to your childhood! It’s a great song to showcase drummer Stefan St. Goddards ability, as while most of the songs have a typical punk rock beat, this one has some amazing rolls and beats in it that pop and fizz with energy and inventiveness.
Both “Bitter” and “Broken Teeth” follow this clever/dumb approach. The former with its gang vocal chorus and rapid fire, breathless verses and the latter a much more subdued song with great guitar work by both Jacques and fellow vocalist/guitarist Duncan Murta; especially in the closing stages of the song. It’s also another sad song that pretty much everyone can relate to.
In true pop punk fashion, some of the songs on “I Don’t Like Sports” are reworkings of songs that appeared on earlier EP/Single releases. “Monstrosity” is one such song (alongside the aforementioned Broken Teeth) and it’s easy to understand why they would want to get it out to a wider audience via an album – it’s a proper anthem. Its huge chorus and relentless bridge make it a stand out track on the album. On a personal level, this reminds me of CPRW faves Worship This! particularly of the songs off their sophomore release Mint.
Another band that Screaming At Traffic remind me of is the now defunct Philadelphia mob The Holy Mess, with their poppy guitars, gruff vocals and ability to craft singalong songs. This really shines through on closing song “People Pay Good Money for Secrets”. Given the content, it’s a great culmination of everything that’s gone before with big whoa-ohs and a simple chorus everyone could pick up at a live show.
With I Don’t Like Sports, Screaming At Traffic have released a brilliant debut album that not only gets better, cleverer and more essential on repeated listens but endears itself to you to the point where you feel you have to tell everyone about it. Whilst it is instantly accessible and fun, it’s the nuances and craftsmanship that you appreciate the longer you spend with it. Like heavyweights of the scene such as Iron Chic, Pkew x3 and I’d argue The Menzingers to some extent, this debut should set the blueprint for what should be an exciting and enjoyable career of singalong anthems, heartfelt, endearing songs and epic live shows. Little Rocket Records certainly have the clout to get them out to a wider audience and, on this basis, you’d hope the sky is the limit!
Stream and download I Don't Like Sports here: https://satlrr.bandcamp.com/album/i-dont-like-sports
Like Screaming At Traffic here: https://www.facebook.com/screamingattrafficmusic/
This review was written by Richard Mair.
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